This invention relates to a ball paddle game apparatus. Specifically, the invention relates to a novel ball paddle game apparatus having several routes of ball movement formed on the game screen of a television monitor, so that a moving ball on the ball movement route is to be hit by a plurality of paddles provided in the course of the ball movement route.
Recently, TV game software associating music with a game operation has gained wide popularity. In an example of a music game, a music script or a music-script key to be operated is displayed for scrolling from up to down at a left side of the screen. In compliance with the music script, a player is allowed to operate a game controller or an dedicated keyboard-type input device according to the instructions thereof. The script in a scroll display vanishes from the screen in a certain elapsed time. Therefore, there is a need to operate the controller or input device in a required time. If there is a failure to do so, points will be reduced.
Although the conventional music TV games are a new form in the combination of a music and a game, they are nothing more than a TV game. Accordingly, for enjoyment, it is necessary to prepare both a game console and software therefore, resulting in an inexpensive price.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a ball paddle game apparatus at a lower cost than a music game according to the necessity.
The present invention is a ball paddle game apparatus including a television monitor and a game machine connected thereto. The game apparatus has a plurality of paddle keys and a game processor for receiving a manipulating signal from the paddle keys. The game processor displays, on the television monitor, a plurality of paddle figures responsive to each operation of the paddle keys and a plurality of ball figures moving on a predetermined pattern of a plurality of moving routes respectively corresponding to the paddle figures. The game processor gives, as a player operates the paddle key, a change in the paddle figures to change the ball figures.
A ball moves toward the paddle randomly in each of a plurality of ball moving routes. The player is allowed to operate the paddle key to bounce back the ball. If the timing of operating a paddle matches the timing of a moving ball, the ball changes its moving direction on the game screen. For example, in the case the ball movement is a fall of the ball, the ball hit by the paddle is shot up, and then disappears in the end. In the case of missing the ball, the ball continues falling and finally vanishes. Life (the number of times of games to be played) is reduced upon failure. Whether life remains or not determines the possibility of continuing the game.
The ball may be moved along with the music, or moved regardless of music. In the former case, it is possible to enjoy a music game.
According to the present invention, once a ball is set to move along with the music, it is possible to enjoy music with a simple game with a paddle to hit a ball. Or, even in the absence of music, it requires a hand in order to use a paddle. In addition, the game itself has an aspect of enjoyment, it is expected to put into an effective use for the purposes of rehabilitating disabled persons and the elderly.